Start-stop regenerative repeater



Jan. 4, 1938. w. J. zENNER 2,104,251

START- STOP REGENERATIVE REPEATER Filed Feb. 23, 1934 \3 4/ INVENTOR 7 14 4175? Zf/V/VEP ATTOR Y Patented Jan. 4, 1938 ATENT' OFFICE 7 2,104,251 START-STOP RneENEnATIvE REPEATER Walter J. Zenner, Des Plaines, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application February 23, 1934, Serial No. 712,461

35 Claims.

This invention pertains to regenerative telegraph signal repeaters and more particularly to telegraph repeating devices of the mechanical start-stop regenerative type. V

In systems of comparatively slow speeds of transmission and in which transmission is composed of a succession of comparatively long electrical impulses, an ordinary relay will repeat the impulses of a start-stop system successfully, the relay operating to renew the current strength of the individual signal impulses, and any distortion occurring in comparative lengths of successive signals being negligible because it constitutes but a small proportion of the total length'of each signal impulse.

With an increase of speeds of signaling, the individual transmitted electrical impulses become shorter, yet with an invariable component of distortion which becomes a greater proportion of a total signal impulse, until a point is reached where distortion in the length of the individual signals limits the speed of signaling and, to effect higher signaling speeds, it becomes necessary to provide repeating devices which willnot only renew'the strength of the original signal impulse but which will also restore the original relations of impulse lengths. Such repeaters have been named regenerative repeaters.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a regenerative repeater for start-stop systems of automatic telegraphy in which electrical conditions of controlling signals are faithfully repeated in a controlled circuit in original time values as well as in renewed strength.

A further object is to' repeat and regenerate the start and stop controlling signals as well as the intelligence code signals.

' space. V

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a start-stop mechanical regenerative repeater which is of simple construction and ;operation and which occupies a minimum of A feature of the invention is to provide a startstop regenerative repeater in which the starting mechanism is placed under mechanical control of a device responsive to received line signals while the repeater is in its stopped orgidle condition, and in which the starting mechanism is removed from the effect of the receiving device while the repeater is operating in response to intelligence .c'ode signals, thereby rendering the receiving fdevice more sensitive to received intelligence'signals. 1

The above, objects and features are attained by utilizing mechanical principles of start-stop selectors in combinationwith retransmitting contacts so arranged as to be controlled through a start-stop element to determine the timing of retransmitted signal impulses and also arranged to be controlled by a signal receiving element to determine the electrical nature of the retransmitted signal impulses.

The system of this invention comprises a controlling circuit, a controlled circuit, and a regenerative repeater connecting them in such manner that signal impulses of start-stop nature originating in the controlling circuit are repeated in the controlled circuit with renewed strength and with regenerated time values. While repeating is provided in but one direction in the system shown for illustration, the apparatus is such that it is available for circuit systems in which repeating in both directions upon a connected telegraph line may be efiected.

The apparatus of this invention comprises a start-stop cam or group of associated cams with a driving motor and with means for holding the cams normally stopped but subject to control of a starting signal in the-controlling line circuit. In response to a starting signal impulse, the cams are started and then continue in motion for a complete cycle of revolution, which is also a complete code cycle of operation, and then the cams come to rest in readiness for the next code cycle. I

Controlled by the cams is a single contact mem her for retransmitting the received signals, the transmitting member being such that it is controlled by the cams in timing every retransmitted signal, butis permitted by the cams to take at .and the stop impulse which'respectively precede and follow the impulses of the intelligence code also are repeated in regenerative manner.

Since the receiving signal magnet has two distinct duties, that of starting the cams in response to a starting signal impulse and that of determining the electrical'nature of an intelligence impulse, and since the duty of starting neveris required during the period of retransmission of' intelligence impulses, specific mechanical means has been provided to remove all influence of the starting mechanism from the signal receiving magnet during the period of intelligenceimpulses,

thereby rendering the signal receiving magnet more fully and easily responsive to the several impulses of the intelligence code.

A better understanding of the invention may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a circuit system and a sectional view of a regenerative repeater according to this invention;

Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of the repeater of Fig. 1 taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 shows a detail of one of the cams, the view of Fig. 3 being taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, line wire i connects transmitting substation 2 and repeating station signal receiving magnet 3 in a controlling circuit with battery 4. Line wire 5 connects receiving substation 6 with retransmitting member I, which is normally in circuit with retransmitting contact 3, resistor ii, and battery l8. Magnet 3 has an armature i l pivoted to a supporting frame by pivot i 2 with retractile spring i3 and an exten sion arm M, which constitutes a follower for a sixtooth cam 15 fixed to cam sleeve [6, which is sleeved upon a continuously rotating power shaft l1. Retransmitting member 28, having a free end with a thin flat edge also is pivoted to the frame by pivot I 2 and is supported in angular position by the compression spring 2i extending between member 2!) and armature l l and compression spring 22 extending between member 26 and a lug formed integrally upon arm 54, the member 2% being further positioned positively by engagement between the thin edge of member 25 and a similar thin edge of a lock lever 25 which is pivoted to the frame at 26, is tensioned by spring 2'1, and constitutes a follower for a seventooth cam 39 which is fixed with cam 55 upon cam sleeve l6. Retransmitting tongue member I engages either fixed contact 8 or alternative fixed contact 3!.

Referring to Fig. 2, power shaft ll carries a fixed collar 32 and a spring-pressed feathered washer 33 between which are friction discs 34 and 35 which hold frictionally,. a cam sleeve assembly comprising the sleeve 5, a box cam 36, a stop arm 3?, the six-tooth cam l5, the seventooth cam 32, several annular spacing shims 38, and a left-hand thread clamping nut Ml. Stop arm 37 engages gate 4! pivoted at 42 upon an adjustable member 43, which is locked in position by clamp nut i l. Gate 4| is restrained by a latch 46 pivoted at :17 upon the member 43 and tensioned by compression spring 48 extending from latch 46 to member &3. Extending between latch ti; and armature ll of magnet 3 is a start lever 59, pivoted to the frame at 5! and engaging at its longer end a plunger 52fs1iding in frame part 53 and engaging at its upper end a projection 54 on armature H. Lever 50 has a cam follower finger 55 which may be engaged by the formed lip 56 of the box cam 33, Fig. 3, and which thereafter rides within the broken annulus of the box cam 35.

The operation of the system is as follows: An interruption at transmitter 2 of the controlling circuit of line i will cause the deenergization of signal receiving magnet 3, which will release armature ll, permitting cam follower M to drop into the path of the six-tooth cam 15 and'permitting the armature extension 5 to push the plunger 52, which will operate lever 56 to cause the operation, in turn, of latch 46 which will release gate i to release stop arm 37 and thus to permit the turning of the cam sleeve l6 and its cams I5, 39, 36 by the power of shaft I! through friction of discs 34 and 35. Operation of armature ll, when released by deenergized magnet 3, also compresses spring 2! and releases spring 22, but transmitting element 20 resists the spring pressure because it is locked by lever 25, which is in the path of the seven-tooth cam 30, which cam now is starting. The first mechanical action of the cam sleeve 15 and its cams is to operate the lock lever 25 by cam 38, thereby releasing member 29 which moves tongue I from contact 8 to contact 3i, and repeats the signal from transmitting station 2 to receiving station 6 by deenergizing the magnet of station 6 in response to the opening of the circuit at station 2. The operation of locking lever 25 is momentary,

ecause of the short arcuate dimension of the tooth of cam 39, and member 26 immediately is relocked. In operating to unlock the member 20, looking lever 25 permits no movement of member 2% while the fiat side of its thin edge is in engagement with member 20, the release of member 29 being made suddenly at the instant when the end of lever 25 leaves the end of member 20. The impulse from station 2, which now is repeated to station 15, thus has been determined in point of time solely by the movement of cam 36 acting through lever 25 to release member 20, but has been determined as to electrical nature, whether closed circuit from i through contact 8 to battery it, or whether open circuit from I to contact 3! which is not connected, solely by the position of armature II which has been controlled solely by the signal received in magnet 3 under control of station 2.

At this time, lever 25 again projects into the path of teeth of cam 30, arm M projects into the path of teeth of cam l5, and lip 56 of box cam 35 engages its cam follower finger 55 and confines that finger thereafter within the box of the cam, thereby restraining finger 55 in its position shown dotted in Fig. 2, and thereby restraining lever 50 so that it is not permitted to lift plunger 52 into contact with extension 54'of armature H throughout the remainder of the code cycle.

. The next action is the engagement of a tooth of cam 55 with its follower arm l4, whereby armature li is moved toward or against its controlling magnets 3. This action occurs six times in the cycle, each such occurrence at about the middle of six of the code signals; namely, first, second, third, fourth, and fifth intelligence sigmale and the stop signal of the code. In each instance, armature it will be held by magnetism of energized magnet 3 if the instant signal, being a closed signal at transmitting station 2, operates to energize magnet 3, but in each instance armature i l will be released by the passing of tooth of cam F5 from follower arm l4, and armature I! will be withdrawn from deenergized magnet 3 by spring l3 if the instant signal at transmitting station 2 is such that the transmitting station 2 is open circuit to deenergize magnet 3. In every such occurrence, actionv of follower M by cam :55 and retention or release of armature It by magnet 23 will be followed immediately by operation of lock lever 25, by cam 30, which will permit member 25 to operate tongue contact 1 into engagement with fixed contact 8 or 3: respectively, accordingly as the magnet 3 has retained armature ii and has compressed spring 2'2, urging member 25! upward when unlocked by lever 25 or has released armature ii and has compressed springl2l, urging member downward when released by lever 25. Y In each code group of impulsea-a final impulse or a stop impulse is of marking characin the drawing and completing the code cycle.

The repeater now may rest indefinitely or may 1 be restarted immediately by the start impulse of the ensuing code cycle.

Thus there is provided a regenerative repeating mechanism having a small number of mechanical parts and a minimum of electrical contacts, Whose parts are accessible for inspection and which is without adjustment in service other than of the electrical contacts to compensate for wear and cleaning. V

For polar transmission over the circuit of line 5, contact 3| may be connected through aresistor and a battery similar to H], but of reversed polarity, to ground. Also for polar transmission inthe line wire which originates at station 2, the magnet 3 may be polar in nature or may be connected to the line through a polar relay having its winding in the line and its contacts connected to magnet 3. t

The invention claimed is: l

1. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting a received signal, an armature controlled by a received signal, a spring tensioned by said armature and acting to urge said contact member to an alternative position, a locking member restraining said contact. member, and a timing cam operating said locking member to release said contact member to control timing of a retransmitted signal.

2. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member having two operating positions for re transmitting received signals, an armature controlled to change position by electrically different successive received signals, two springs alternately tensioned by said armature and acting to urge said contact member to change position, a locking member restraining said contact member, and a timing cam operating said locking member to release said contact member repeat- 7 edly to control timing of successive retransmitted signals. 4

3. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting received signals, an armature controlled by received signals, springs selectively tensioned'by said armature and acting to urge said contact member to change position, a locking member restraining said contact member,- and a multiple-lobed timing cam, a latch operable by saidarmature to start said timing cam, and a cam follower for said timing cam operating said locking member to release said contact member repeatedly to, control timing of successive retransmitted signals. V, f 4. Ina telegraphic device, an electrical contact member for retransmitting a received signal, an armature controlled by a received signal, a spring tensioned bysaid armature and acting to urge said contact member to an alternative position, and cam controlled mechanism rendering said. contact member operable by said spring at a predetermined instant.

5. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting received signals, an-I armature controlled by successive received signals, springs tensioned bysaid armature andacting to urge said contact member to change position, and cam controlled mechanism operative to allow said contact member to be actuated by said springs at the beginning of each of the signals included in a predetermined signal interval.

6. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting received signals, an armature controlled by successive received signals, springs tensioned by said armature and act ing to urge said contact member to change position, cam controlled mechanism operative to allow said contact member to be actuated by said 7 springs. at the beginning of each of the signals included in a predetermined signal interval, and a latch operable by said armature in response to a received timing signal to start said cam controlled timing mechanism.

7. In a telegraphic repeating device, an armature controlled by successive received signals, a contact member elastically articulated to said armaturefor electrically retransmitting received I signals therefrom, and cam controlled mechanism rendering said contact member responsive to said armature at successive instants of beginning of a plurality of electrical retransmission time intervals.

' 8. In a telegraphic repeating device, an arma-V ture controlled repeatedly by successive received signals, a contact member controlled by said armature for retransmitting received signals, cam

controlled timing mechanism rendering said con tact member responsive to said armature at successive instants of beginning of a plurality of signal time intervals, and a starting latch'for said timing mechanism controlled by said armature in response to a received timing signal;

9. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting received signals, an

armature controlled by successive received signals, 1

said contact member repeatedly at the times of beginning of retransmission signals to control timing of successive retransmitted signals.

. 10. In a telegraphic repeater, a pivoted retransmitting element, a signal magnet, an armature for said signal magnet pivoted coaxially with said element, mechanical signal storage means associated with said armature for tending to operate said retransmitting element, and timing means tending to operate said contact member, a locking member restraining said contact member, and atiming cam operating said locking member to release said contact member repeatedly to control timing of successive signals. 7

12. In a telegraphic repeater, a signal receiving magnet, an armature therefor, arotating cam t advance said armature towards said magnet at predetermined times to permit control of said armature by said magnet to begin at said times, a contact member for retransmitting a received signal, a spring tensioned by said armature and tending to operate said contact member, a locking member restraining said contact member, a timing cam operating said locking member to release said contact member repeatedly to control timing of successive signals, a latch for starting said timing cam, and means between said latch and said armature whereby said armature operates said latch to start said cam.

13. In a telegraphic repeater, a contact mechanism for repeating current impulses, power driven means for controlling said contact mechanism, an electromagnet responsive to current impulses, an armature for said electromagnet acting to determine the selective operation of said contact mechanism, and power driven armature assisting means cooperating with said electromagnet to move said armature.

14. In a telegraphic repeater, a contact mechanism for repeating current impulses, power driven timing means for controlling said contact mechanism. an electromagnet responsive to received current impulses, an armature for said electromagnet acting to determine the selective oper ation of said contact mechanism, power driven armature assisting means cooperating with said electromagnet to move said armature, and a start-stop shaft driving said timing means and said armature assisting means in fixed phase relation.

15. In a telegraphic repeater, an electromagnet responsive to received electrical signals, cyclically operable means operating in timed relation to impulse intervals of said electrical signals, armature means dually controlled by said electromagnet and by said cyclically operable means, elec trical contact means resiliently associated with said armature means to create electrical repeated signals, and cyclically operable further means operating said electrical contact means to effect an intervallic overlap in the repeating operations.

16. In a telegraphic repeater, an electromagnet responsive to received electrical signals, cyclically operable means operating in timed relation to impulse intervals of said electrical signals, armature means dually controlled by said electromagnet and by said cyclically operable means, electrical contact means resiliently associated with said armature means to create intervals of electrical repeated signals, cyclically operable further means operating said electrical contact means to effect an intervallic overlap in the repeating operations, and common driving means for said two cyclically operable means and whereby said two means are maintained in fixed phase relation.

1'7. In a telegraphic repeater, a signal receiving magnet, an armature for said magnet, means for moving said armature toward said magnet in timed intervals, contact means responsive to said armature to repeat received signals, and further means to retard the operation of said contact means to effect an intervallic overlap between re ceived signals and repeated signals.

18. In a telegraphic repeater, a pivoted element acting to determine one or the other of two selective conditions, an electromagnet and armature responsive to one or the other of two received sig naling conditions corresponding respectively to said two selective retransmission conditions, a yielding connection between said pivoted element and said armature, and a lever controlled by local power controlling said pivoted element to determine the time of beginning of said one or the other of two selective retransmission conditions.

19. In altelegraphic repeater, an electrical contact element acting to determine positive or negative selective retransmission conditions, an electromagnet and armature responsive to one or the other of two received signaling conditions, a spring connection between said element and said armature, and means driven by local power for determining the time of beginning of said positive or negative selective retransmission conditions through the operation of said element.

20. In a telegraphic repeater, an electrical contact element operable to produce positive or negative selective retransmission conditions, an electromagnet and armature responsive to one or the other of two received signaling conditions corresponding respectively to said two selective retransmission conditions, means for transference of power between said element and said armature, and means controlled by local power to determine the time of beginning of said selective retransmission conditions.

21. In a telegraphic repeater, a current carrying element operable to produce one or the other of two selective retransmission conditions, an electromagnet and armature responsive to one or the other of two received signaling conditions corresponding respectively to said two selective retransmission conditions, a yielding connection between said element and said armature, and means 1 synchronized to said received signaling conditions by said armature and operated by local power to control said element to determine the time of beginning of said one or the other of two selective retransmission conditions.

22. In a telegraphic repeater, an element acting to determine one or the other of two selective retransmission conditions, an electromagnet and .armature responsive to one or the other of two re ceived signaling conditions, a power driven cam operative to assist said armature periodically to one of its two selective positions, a spring connection between said element and said armature, and means driven by local power for determining the time of beginning of said one or the other of two selective retransmission conditions through the operation of said element.

23. In a telegraphic repeating device, an electrical contact having two operative conditions for retransmitting received signals, means controlled by a received signal, means responsive to said means acting to cause said electrical contact to tend to assume one of its conditions, and means for rendering said electrical contact operable by said second recited means at a predetermined instant for each signal to be retransmitted.

24. In a telegraphic repeating device for the transmission of synchronizing and selective signals, a retransmitting element for transmitting signals, means operative to control the beginning of each of the signals to be transmitted by said element, and a magnet responsive to said signals and a cam-operated armature, said magnet re tongue to permit operation by said magnet, and contacts controlled by said tongue to generate electrical signals for retransmission.

26. In a telegraphic repeating device, an armature controlled by a received signal, a contact member having an electrical contact integral with said member for retransmitting a received signal elastically articulated to said armature, and cam controlled mechanismrendering said contact member responsive to said armature at a predetermined instant. v

27. In a telegraphic repeating device, an armature controlled by a received signal, a contact member, an electrical contact carried by said member continuously urged by said armature after receiving a signal for retransmitting said received signal, and cam controlled mechanism rendering said electrical contact responsive to said armature at a predetermined instant. I

28. In a telegraphic repeating device, a mechanical contact member and an electrical contact integral therewith for retransmitting received signals, an armature controlled by successive received signals, spring means continuously engaging "said mechanical contact member and said armature and governed by said armature and tending to operate said contact member and said electrical contact after receipt of a signal by said armature, and means rendering said mechanical contact member and said contact operable by said first mentioned means selectively at each instant of beginning of a plurality of signal time intervals. V

29. In a telegraphic repeater, an electrical transmitting element, a signal magnet, an armature, a tensionmember connecting said armature and said element and urging said element under control of said armature after receipt of a signal, and means for storing a signal in said tension member from the time of operation of said armature by said magnet to the time of'beginning of retransmission of the signal. 1

30. In a telegraphic repeater, a movable retransmitting electrical element, a'signal magnet,

an armature, a tension member connecting said armature and said element and controlled by said armature to urge said element toward a companion electrical retransmitting contact, and a locking means for restraining said movable retransmitting element whereby a received signal is stored in said tension member. a

31. In a telegraphic repeating device, an armature controlled by received signals, an electrical contact member for the retransmission of signals corresponding to the received signals responsive to the operation of said armature, spring means cooperating with said member, and cam controlled means for allowing said contact member to assume at a predetermined instant under the action of said spring means a position determined by said armature whereby the signals will j be repeated.

32. In a telegraphic repeating device, an armature controlled by received signals, an electrical contact member for the transmission of signals corresponding to the received signals, means continuously in its contacting position by said armature through said articulation during successive received unitary signals of similar electrical characteristics, and cam controlled mechanismrendering said contact member operable re- 34. In a telegraphic repeating device, a contact member for retransmitting positive and by successive received signals, spring means consponsively to said armature after said armature has been shifted and at a predetermined instant.

tinuously engaging said contact member and said armature and governed by said armature and controlling said contact member to retain its position during successive similar received signals and to operate after receipt of a changed signal by said armature, and means rendering said contact member operable by said first mentioned means selectively at each instant of beginning of a plurality of signal time intervals.

35. In a telegraphic repeater, an electrical transmitting'element, a signal magnet, an armature, a tension member connecting said armature and said element and restraining said ele ment against any motion in response to unchanging subsequent signals and urging said element under control of said armature afterreceipt of a changed signal, and means for storing a changed signal in said tension member from the time of operation of said armature by said magnet to the time of beginning of retransmission of the signal.

WALTER J. ZENNER.

3. negative received signals, an armature controlled 7 

